The Antidote #7: a bloody study, Latino long haulers, and journaling your way to health
Plus, a book reading!
Welcome to The Antidote, the biweekly roundup post from The Tonic that is filled to the brim with goodies.
The Tonic is a lighthearted, heavily resourced newsletter for folks interested in learning about long COVID, ME/CFS, and other chronic illnesses. Come for the info; stay for the whimsy. Or vice versa.
Please note: my posting strategy is changing in response to my ever-shifting availability of energy (often referred to as ‘spoons’). I will generally post once a week on Saturdays or Sundays: a narrative post when my energy allows and resource roundups (The Antidote) at all other times. Occasionally I post more than once a week, usually to announce an event or to push brief, timely info out to you sooner.
📚 Book reading! Please join us 📚
If you’ve been a fan of The Tonic’s for a bit, you may recall that an essay of mine was selected to appear in
, a compilation of essays, poetry, and stories by 45 long haulers, including the book’s awesome creator and editor, Mary Ladd. I am so honored to have my work included in this book among some long haulers with legit writing bona fides, as well as with folks who have never been published before who write beautifully.Join a few of us for a hybrid reading (a mix of online and in-person) at Hudson Valley Books for Humanity, my local used/new bookstore!
I’ll be there in-person and if you’re local, I’d love to see you there. If not, register here for the Zoom info.
If you’d like to buy the book, you can get it on Bookshop.org or on Amazon. I am about halfway through it myself and it is really moving. Check it out!
Wish list shout outs!
Boy, you peeps sure are keeping Baldy (a.k.a. the Receiving Department) busy with gifts in support of my work here via the Amazon wish list in lieu of paid subscriptions (which could jeopardize my disability benefits). A big Tonic THANK YOU this week goes to Dr. Marjorie, Diana C. (a.k.a. my big sister), Paula S. (a wish list two-timer!), and Jackie (there are several Jackies here, so please let me know if it was you) for your generous gifts!
If anyone else is interested in showing support, see below for the info. There’s something for every budget and any help is appreciated. (Note: please be sure to include a note with your gift(s) so I can reach out and thank you!)
The Tonic is free to read - Amy is so happy you’re here! There is no paid subscription option here like with other Substack newsletters. However, if you are valuing the experience and are able, please consider a show of support by sending a gift of health, wellness, or joy from this Amazon wish list. Anyone who does gets a 📢 in an upcoming post. Thank you!
If you’re not ready or able to send a wish list gift, I would really appreciate if you would like or comment on this post. If you’re reading this in an email, you can still like or comment; scroll to the top of the message and see the ❤️ and 💬 icons. This drives more traffic to my posts and I want as many people to get these resources as possible. Thanks!
It was a big week in all things Long COVID, so let’s get to it.
Long COVID
🔬 A new study out this week found persistent changes in the blood of long haulers, such that the immune system, coagulation, and tissue were all altered. This is huge; get ready to see summaries of it everywhere you see Long COVID news. According to the editors of Science, “these findings provide a resource of potential biomarkers for diagnosis and may inform directions for treatments.” In the words of Shangela:
🦠 You may recall that I sent around a post for my U.S. readers on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) hearing that took place Thursday on Addressing Long COVID: Advancing Research and Improving Patient Care. Two adult patients, a caregiver to a teen patient, and several researchers testified. Here is the recording. (If you are not from the U.S., listen to the first few minutes so you can hear the awesome accent of America’s favorite socialist politician, Bernie Sanders 😄).
👩🏼⚕️
with a fantastic roundup of Long COVID research this week:🧑🏽🤝🧑🏾 The Sick Times continues to come in with cutting edge journalism on all things Long COVID. This week, they discuss the disproportionate impact of Long COVID on Latinos in the U.S.
Journaling resource
📖 I found this fascinating and plan to check it out: Raelan Agle tells us about a powerful AI journaling app called Rosebud. There’s a free version and a few tiers of paid versions. Check out her video with the founder of the app for more info:
Upcoming workshop
🧘🏾 The Women’s Wellness Circle is holding another one of their Safe to Move workshops (open to all genders) on January 29th at 9am PT/12pm ET/5pm GMT. If you suffer from LC, ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, chronic Lyme, or similar conditions and have been wondering how to safely incorporate movement into your recovery or life, this is a great workshop to attend. Check it out here.
Health Miscellany
🌬️ Women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men do, despite living longer. Check out the new report by the World Economic Forum and the McKinsey Health Institute’s that is part of the Forum's Women’s Health Initiative.
🧠 Early onset dementia: Study finds 15 factors that could increase risk. Completely abstaining from alcohol is one factor, which prompted me to declare that I’m going to start drinking one glass of wine a week. I had given up alcohol during the long haul because too much makes me feel like I’ve been poisoned.
🏳️🌈 While the majority of LGBTQ+ young people (58%) reported believing there was a high chance (i.e., more likely than not) of living to age 35, just over 1 in 3 (34%) believed their chances were low. This broke my heart. Read more in this research brief by The Trevor Project.
♿ Is anyone surprised? America’s Health System Isn’t Ready for the Surge of Seniors With Disabilities. Baby boomers are entering their 70s-90s in the decades ahead. There are actually doctors refusing to help older patients with high needs. Tragic.
❄️ Is shoveling snow too risky for your health? That depends.
🩸 I’m in perimenopause (yikes), and I’m aghast at how little anyone (including women) talk about what this experience is like. The Tonic will not stand by in silence. Be prepared for lots of links and info about this beautiful (ha!) period (double ha!) of life. First up: Menopausal Symptoms In Depth.
❤️🔥 A must read for anyone with chronic illness by
:
🎵 In my Spotify travels this week, this Coldplay fave was in the mix and it occurred to me that it felt like a Long COVID or ME/CFS anthem.
And the hardest part
Was letting go, not taking part
You really broke my heart, oh
And I tried to sing, but I couldn’t think of anything
And that was the hardest part
If you have Spotify, click on the lyrics at the bottom so you can see each word.
🎶 What would your anthem be, chronic illness or otherwise?
Now stick around for…
🥳 The After-party 🥳
Added resources, joy, tomfoolery, and buffoonery
🐭 You’ve got to click through to see the video: mouse caught on camera organizing a man’s shed every night. Give this lil gal some cheese, will ya? And then send her over here. I’ll even lock away the cats so she can get her work done.
🙏🏽 Sisters with the munchies: Mexico’s weed ‘nuns’ want to take the plant back from the narcos.
🤦🏼♀️ Buffoon of the week: This 33yo woman, Meagan Howard, who faceplanted in a Target running to buy…a giant stainless-steel jug. What’s that, you say? But these Stanley jugs are all the rage right now? YOU’RE 33, FFS 🤦🏻♀️
🏆 Winners of the week: Spurned lovers who donate $15 to the Wildlife Conservation Society by naming their ex after a giant Madagascar Hissing Roach at The Bronx Zoo. (Though I lived in the Bronx for a few years; they could have just rung my buzzer and gotten authentic NYC roaches 🤣).
🐈⬛ 💩 And finally, it’s this week’s Cat Dump. Fritzy fireplace edition.
(We ran out of firewood last week, brrrr 🥶. Fritzy didn’t know what to do with himself. Daddy found some wood around the yard and resurrected the fire. Thankfully we got a delivery yesterday).
If you’re looking for excellent menopause information, The Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter is fantastic! I got ME/CFS while in perimenopause and am in surgical menopause now and wish this book had been published earlier.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2rGypxyL-h0&si=rHlxLcxFkkDJ1Syc
Not sure if this will work - my anthem!